The invention relates to an eye shielding system usable with eyeglasses or eye goggles and a detachable foam shield. Other shields meant to protect the eyes from liquids are available, but ones that are usable for personnel that must wear prescription glasses have drawbacks. They may be permanently or non-reversibly attached to glasses, which means that the user must have a second pair of prescription glasses dedicated to the shield, and that the shield and glasses must be sanitized after use. Some shields for wearers of prescription glasses are bulky, can impair the vision of the wearer, and interfere with the operation of the earpieces. Many other shields do not seal or fit snugly against the face, allowing liquids that reach the face above the eyes to drip down the face into the eyes. Shields that seal may not air-permeable, and do not inhibit the insides of the lenses from fogging up.
Previous shields disclosed in patents are understood to include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,481 discloses protective eyeglass shields (FIGS. 1 & 2) for use by surgeons to prevent contact with liquid-transmittable contagions, such as the AIDS virus. The flexible shields are preferably air-permeable to prevent fogging of the lenses. The shield pieces are not disclosed as being removable or detachable from the frame, nor are they continuous. The shields attach to both the frame and earpieces of the eyeglasses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,963 shows a protective hood made of soft resin material heat molded to the eyeglasses frame when, during heating, some of the resin material fills grooves in the frame. Thus, the protective hood is not reversibly joined to the frame. The hood is not described as being air-permeable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,119 discloses a protective eyeglass cover made of air-permeable foam, which provides sufficient air circulation to minimize fogging of the lenses. The cover is described as being useful in medical fields to protect the user's eyes from bodily fluids and the like. However, the cover encases and lies outward of the frame, excepting the earpieces which are inserted through apertures in the cover to hold it in place. The cover is held in place by the clamping effect between the earpieces and the head, and by support from the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,351 discloses protective eyeglass shields coupled to is eyeglass frames by the engagement of the earpieces with a longitudinally extending channel formed in each shield. The shields are non-reversibly attached to the eyeglasses by the insertion of pin into an opening that locks the shield to the earpiece. The shields are not described as air-permeable, and provide protection only peripherally.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,711 discloses an integral shield and lens-piece, where the shield is made of plastic foam, primarily for use during hair styling to protect the wearer from hair spray. The shield is not described as removable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,269 shows a protective eyeglass shield with slots formed in the shields for support from the earpieces of an eyeglasses frame. The shield is not described as air-permeable, and protects only peripherally.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,963 shows an eyeglasses shield which is detachably mounted to an eyeglasses frame by posts which engage holes in the eyeglasses frame. It is not described as air-permeable, nor does it fit against the face.
It can be seen that the foregoing do not meet all of the needs of medical or other personnel who must wear prescription lenses and are subject to the risk of harmful substances coming in contact with their eyes. The present invention meets all of these concerns. It is detachable, and may be disposed of after use, fits snugly and seals against the face, protecting against sprayed liquids, and is air-permeable. It is also small, does not interfere with vision or with the fit of the glasses.
This invention is unique because it uses a detachable, air-permeable shield that is attached to the frames of the glasses or goggles, without the necessity of attaching to the earpieces or other connectors holding the eyeglasses to the face, and also because it fits snugly and seals against the face. It is also lightweight and made of low-cost materials, and may thus be disposable.
The shield is designed to fit closely inside the eyeglass or goggle frames and is made of an air-permeable material to inhibit fogging of the lenses. It is particularly useful for providing protection for surgeons or other medical personnel from splashed liquids or solids. It is also useful for any workers who must wear some protective shield for their eyes. It is particularly directed toward protection from splashed bodily fluids or other harmful materials, such as those which may carry diseases such as the AIDS virus or which are otherwise harmful or dangerous. The detachable shield may be attached to either standard, or slightly modified eyeglasses.